Rehabilitation Act of 1973

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 applies to any program that receives financial support from the federal government. As the act states, “disability is a natural part of human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to live independently, enjoy selfdetermination, make choices, contribute to society, pursue meaningful careers, and enjoy full inclusion and integration in the economic, political, social, cultural, and educational mainstream of American society” (Section 2(a)(3) of the Rehabilitation Act). To that end, the act's purpose is to provide “comprehensive and coordinated state-of-the-art programs of vocational rehabilitation, independent living centers and services, research, training, and demonstration projects” (Section 2(b)). The U.S. Department of Education's Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) is responsible for administering the act. The RSA develops and issues program regulations as well as the policy guidelines that support those regulations. The act is enforced at the federal level.

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 represented a new approach toward providing individuals with disabilities with greater access to the workplace. One major change in policy was the act's requirement that vocational rehabilitation programs make individuals with the most severe disabilities their first priority. In addition, the act promoted consumer empowerment with the requirement that the consumer be involved in the development of the Individualized Written Rehabilitation Program (IWRP) and sign the final plan as an indication that he or she understood it and agreed with it. The act also supported rehabilitation research and independent living centers. Finally, the act mandated that the RSA conduct regular evaluations of programs that fall under the act.

Title V of the act focused on the civil rights of individuals with disabilities. Section 501 requires executive branches of the federal government to develop affirmative action plans for the employment of individuals with disabilities. Section 502 established the [Page 1805]Architectural and Transportation Barriers and Compliance Board. Section 503 prohibits federal contractors and subcontractors receiving $2,500 or more from engaging in employment discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Those with 50 or more employees or a federal contract of $50,000 or more were required to write an affirmative action plan. Section 504 prohibits any federally supported program (e.g., hospitals, school districts, state offices, colleges, and universities) from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities.

Since 1973, the act has been amended several times. The Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1978 further strengthened the call for consumer involvement with an added focus on peer counseling (from peers with the same as well as different disabilities). The Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1986 enhanced the support for rehabilitation engineering and provided support for special projects and demonstrations, all of which promote new advancements in rehabilitation. The Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1992 made it clear that the person with a disability should be able to exercise choice and that competitive employment is the ultimate goal. In 1998, Section 508 was added to make information technology accessible to people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) built on the Rehabilitation Act's foundation by expanding protections to employers with 15 or more employees, including private, nonprofit, and government entities.

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